Comparative analysis of diagnostic adequacy rate between aspiration and nonaspiration techniques of fine‐needle cytology in patients with thyroid cancer and ultrasonographically suspicious cervical lymph nodes

Background We aimed to compare nonaspiration (NAS) and aspiration (AS) techniques in the evaluation of fine‐needle cytology of lymph node (FNC‐LN) in terms of diagnostic adequacy of cytologic material. Methods One hundred and twenty‐three superficial cervical LNs in 75 patients who underwent NAS and AS‐FNC‐LN in the same visit were evaluated. Cytological results were categorized as diagnostic and nondiagnostic. Results The rates of malignancy were 13.8% in AS versus 16.3% in NAS technique, whereas nondiagnostic cytology was detected in 43.1% and 25.2%, respectively (P = .549 and P